ABSTRACT
The comics medium, as all media, faces limitations in which audience it appeals to, what types of information it best represents, and how it represents infor - mation. These limitations need to be acknowledged if comics are to be effectively used in technical communication. In addition, comics-style technical communi - cation faces challenges that are caused by social and disciplinary biases. These challenges also need to be clarified. This chapter discusses a number of rhetorical, social, and ethical factors that contribute to these limitations and challenges. None of these factors works in isolation to determine whether or not comics are a suitable choice in creating a given document. Instead, they often work together-and sometimes in contra - diction of each other. An integrated consideration of all factors is necessary in the creation and use of comics-style technical communication.
